Fuel Buying Group Differences

Over the last year we’re received calls from folks that don’t understand the differences between the various fuel buying groups in the Capital Region. Although there are many differences we’ll address the major ones. First, the Galway Co-op sells propane for less than any other company. That is a fact. When you consider our competitors cost per gallon and additional charges it is clear that we sell to our members for less. Unlike other groups, we have not raised our margins since we started in 2006. We understand that some buying groups make claims about themselves that are unsupported and we find this very disappointing. Fuel buying groups are suppose to be honest and straight forward, but when they market their propane like a conventional propane company, using non truths and not disclosing the true pricing, they take away from the very principle that buyers want in a fuel company; transparency and honesty. Also, when a fuel buying group designs their company to resemble the Galway Co-op’s by putting Co-op in their ads and using the word Co-op to drive traffic to their web sites, and using our pricing grid on their web site, that is clearly deceptive. Although we marvel in the fact that some fuel buying groups want to be like us, the copycat approach has left some folks with the feeling they’ve been deceived. There have been cases where people have joined a buying group thinking they were joining the Galway Co-op. Outside of these company’s changing their business practices there is not much we can do to limit the confusion. So, we realize many of our members refer folks to our group, ad we want to be sure they make their way to us. There is only one Galway Co-op, the largest fuel buying group in the US and saving our members money got us there!